Conduit supporting and bonding block



Nov. 7, L P. llssoGLlo 'Er AL i 2,361,943

CONDUIT SUPPORTING AND BONDING BLOCK Filed Jag. 23. 1942 5 m y sul Patented Nov.` 7, 1944 IAUNITED Af-js'm'rla:

Louis P. Issoglio,`

CONDUIT SUPPgWG AND BONDING Los Angeles, and Herman Ray Elllnwood, Burbank, Calif., Precision Products Corp., corporation of California assignors to Adel Burbank,v Calif., a

' Application Janoary as, 1era-serial No. 42u82 5 claims. (ci. 114-135) This invention relates tri-supporting and bonding blocks for conduit-and other lines in aircraft. A block of this typeis disclosedin the United States Letters Patent No. 2,227,528 issued January '7. 1941, to Paul W. Adler and comprises a cushioned support of resilient insulation material fora group, of metallic conduits and the like, with which support. is combined a means for electrically bonding the conduit lines to a metallic structural part of the aircraft. The cushioned support dampens the vibrations of the conduit lines ,and1 prevents undue wear and abrasion, derangement and other line failures which might be caused by vibration, whereas 'the bonding means harmlessly discharges into the metallic structure `of the aircraft whatever static electricity generated'in the conduit lines.

The present` invention relates more particularly tothe construction of the bonding means and the manner of- .combining such means with the cushioned support and its associated elements to make possible a ready mounting and retention of the bonding, elements in proper position with-A out damage Iand derangement thereof and'also prevent such exposure of said elements to liquids and fluids as would cause oxydizing, corrosion electrolytic. attack or other failure.

One of the objects of this invention is to pro Avide a conduit supporting block of the character described wherein an electrically conductive bonding strip ls combined'with and held on the cushioned .support without requiring that the clamping bolts or other fastenings pass through openings in the strip or strip carried parts or th'e use of extraneous fastenings therefor whereby such strips, which are, necessarily of thin porting block such as Adescribed a construction and arrangement of the bonding elements which protects them against damage or derangement in fitting the block on the conduits or vice versa and in the handling, shipping or storing of the block. With the foregoing objects in view, together with such other objects and advantages as may subsequently appear, the invention is carried into of example in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a conduit supporting block embodying the present invention as fragile metalI will n ot be weakened, mutilated, or

deranged and likely to fail as abonding medium.

A further object of my invention isto -provide a conduit 4supporting means such as described' wherein the bonding strip is incorporated with a cushion of resilient insulation material by ,being threaded or reeved therethrough and are held in place and protected against damage without the use of fastening elements. f

Yet another object is to provide a conduit supporting block of the character described wherein the bonding vstrip is directly contacted with the rigid metallic backing means, or directly contacted with the clamping bolts or with both, t0 insure an eiective bonding action between the conduits' and the metallic structural parts of the aircraft on which the block is mounted.

A 4further object is to provide in a conduit supneled rigid metal backing when in use;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3 'showing the cushions under compres.- sion;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevational and part sectional view of the block shown in Figs. 1 and 2 as when the cushions are under compression;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional and part eleyational view of a modified form of the invention, the cushion not being under'compression;

, Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of an' other modied form of t he invention, Athe cushion not being compressed;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of a further modified form of the invention, the cushion not being compressed.

Referring to the drawing more specifically,` and particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, it is seen that one form of blockembodying our invention includes opposed elongated rectangular cushions l and 2 of resilient insulation material, chanmembers 3 and Lembracing the outer longitudinal edges of the cushions', bolts 5 and nuts 6 for clamping the cushions upon the metal conduits such as the one C here shown, and securing the block to a metal structural part D of an airplane, and pairs. of electrically conductive bonding stri-ps -1 arranged in a particular manner to contact and electrically bond together the conduits, backing members and bolts.

The opposed facesvof the cushions l and! are formed with transverse complementary conduit receiving grooves or .channels 8 and as h'ere shown the pairs of bonding strips 1 are associated with said channels so as to directly contact the conduits therein.

Under the provisions hereof the pairs of bonding strips are extended through slots or openings 9 which lead from the channels through the outer longitudinal faces of the cushions. Each bonding strip is of thin flexible metal and includes In! unit.

a straight portionJa lying in its slot 9, a curved inner end portion 'Ib extending part-way around a part of its associated channel for contact with a conduit, and a portion lc which lies between its associated cushion and backing strip in contact with the latter.

One of the bonding strips 1 of each pair'h its outer end 'Id extended into a counterbore I0 of a;.`,.bolt hole- Il in the associated cushion.

When the cushions are clamped on the conduits and placed under compression the ends 1d of the'certain bonding strips so provided are forced by the expansion of the cushion material into contact with the bolts as shown in Fig-3 but when-"the cushions are not under compression theseends lie in the counterbores out of the way Vof the bolts so that they will not be engaged .and mutilated 'or `deranged when inserting the bolts. Thus. it is seen that one strip 1 of each 1 pair is `directly contacted with a. clamping bolt t and both strips of each pair are contacted directly with a metallic backing member and a conduit.

. The two body portions la of each pair of bonding strips l lie in close contact with one another in the slots or openings 9 whereas the two inner end portionsv 1b extend in opposite directions to overlie the semi-circular wall of the channel y portion lof the associated cushion. 'I'he inner ends 1b terminate short ofthe abutting faces of the two cushions and are thus protected from damage orv derangement.

. The bonding strips l are comparatively narrow and lle midway between the sides of the cushions so as to be enclosed and protected thereby. When the cushions are under compression the bonding strip portions which contact the conduits and the backing strips are pressed into the material of said cushion and lie ilush with the'contiguous faces of the cushion. This A` modified form of the invention' hereof is shown in Fig. 4 wherein one or both of the cushions such-as the one I2 here shown has the same transverseconduit receiving grooves Il or channels as shownin Figs. i, 2and 3, also a metal backing member Il 'and is adapted to'be clamped bybens u'. es hereinberore described. Between` the grooves or channels" are ridges or humps Il'and Il whereas at the ends of the cushion or ridges l1,1the` ridges "and I1, are per--v forated by the holes Il through whichl the bolts extend, whereas the ridges Il are imperi'orate, 'In this formmseparate metallic bonding Astrips IQ straddle the imperforate ridges I5 and have portions Ita which ,extend part-way around the tions thereof=are extended laterally tok lie :be-

tween thecushionfand its associated metal baci:-`

ing` member M and have deflected, laterally directed extremities IIb which engage the bolts in a. fiatwise. manner, thus bonding them emciently to 'said bolts. The conduits will directly contact the portion; Ila ofthe stripsand as channels thenthrough openings 25 to the outer faces or edges ofthe cushion'where the end porl 4ment shown in Fig. 5.

The bonding strips of the types here shown i maybe made comparatively narrow as they dov` .not require bolt openings therein and this proother portions ef the strips contact the backing member I4,l the conduits will be bonded to the` metallic structure on which the block is mounted. This form provides a cushioned `protection for the "embedded ends of the bonding strip l and assures a good bonding eifect. If desired the free ends of the strips may be extended into counterbores 2| of the bolt holes in the same I manner as shown in Fig. 3 to directly contact the strips with the bolts.

Itis seen that this form of our invention does not require the penetration of the bonding strips by the bolts or the use of extraneous fastening elements or terminal members on the strips, yet

the strips arel securely anchored and protected against damage or derangement due to the manner ofY mounting them on and in the cushions` and the clamping of thel ends thereof between..

the backing member and cushion. 'This arrangement also prevents exposure of the bonding strips and provides forran effective sealing thereof to prevent corrosion or otherattack or failure which may result from exposure of the strips. Y

Another modified shown in Fig. 54consists in mounting. a metallic bonding strip 23 in each channel 24 of the cushform of this invention as ion 25 so that an arcuate conduit engaging DO-rr tion 23a of the strip lines .the channel, straight portions 25h of the strip are threaded through openings 2B in the-cushion and terminal portions y 23e are extended laterally to lie between the cushion and the metal backing member 2'I` to bond the conduits to said member. This arrangement of the bonding strips provides rugged i individual strips for-the several-conduits sup` -f ported between the cushions, with said strips se-1. curely anchored to the cushions and effectively protected thereby against damage or derangement in the same manner as providedin the forms hereinbefore described. No extraneous fastenings nor penetration of the strips by the bolts arerequiredto maintain the bonding stripsin place in this form of our invention.

y Referring to Fig. 6, another modified formof our invention is seen to include a pair of metallic K vbonding strips 30 for each conduit receiving channel 3| in the cushionsA 82.4 This arrange-f, 'ment is similar to that shown in Fig. 5 except that three holes or slots Il, Il and 8l are provided in the cushion and the two strips eachof l the staple shape taken by the strip shown iny Fig. 5 are extendedthrough said' openings.- The center'V opening Il receives parallel abutting ieg` portions 30a of the strips, while arcuate conduit engaging'portions 30B of the strips are oontigu-f ous and form an arcuate bonding seat within y the associated channel ll, and the other leg portions 30c are extended through ythe openings il and :s respectively. 'rne endsef the strips are extendedin opposite directions to` lie against 'l nel toI assure a'good bond and also protects the bonding strips against exposure and damage in the samemanner as provided in 'thearrangevides a* greater fully cushioned area in the channels than would be possible with the wider bondmg strips es heretofore wea.

and between the cushion` and the metal backing member 38.'- This .arrangement provides two f bonding strips for each conduit receiving chan- We.claim:

1. In a supporting and bonding block for conduits,` al cushion of elastic insulation material having a plurality of conduit receiving channels extending across one face thereof, means for clamping said'cushion against conduits lying in said channels including a rigidzmetal backing l member onj the face of the cushion opposite the channeled'afacethereof, and a metal bolt extendposed between .the cushion and the backing memmer, said end portion having a deflected extremity in natwise contact with said bolt, said cushion having a 'cpunterbore ythrough which said bolt passes,'deflected extremity of said bonding strip` being extended into said counterbore and held by the expanding material of the cushion in flatwise contact with the said bolt when the cushion is compressedby said clamping means, the afore-l said end portion of said bonding strip consisting only of a straight run extending along the sur'- v face of one of the sides of said cushion and said deflected extremity thereof.

.2., In a conduit .supporting block, a cushion block of compressible material having conduit receiving channels extending across one face thereof, means for clampingsaid block on the con- -duits in said channels including a metallic backi'ng member on the face of said block opposite the channeled face thereof and bolts extending through said member, and electrically conductive bonding strips extending through the block from each channel to the face of the block against which the backing member is disposed, and having arcuate portions in the channels for contact with the conduits and end portions consisting of runs clamped between and against the block and said metal backing members and deflected extremities forsaid runs engaging said bolts in a natwise manner. e

3. In a conduit supporting structure, a pair of cushion blocks of compressible material each having conduit receiving grooves extending across one tace thereof, means for clamping said blocks on conduits in saidgrooves including rigid metallic members engaged with the outer sides of said blocks andbolts extending thrdugh said and metallic members, a flexible metallic bonding strip having an intermediate portion extending along the grooved face of the cushion between grooves therein, arcuate portions extending into and lining parts of grooves next adiacent said intermediate portion, and at least one en d portion passing laterally through the cushion to a point opposite a said groove `thereof and thence ,along the side of the cushionto a contacting relation with one of said bolts. 1 f

4. In a conduit supporting structure, a pair of ,cushion blocks of compressible material eachl havei -said blocks and bolts extending through said l blocks and metallic members, a flexible metaling conduit receiving grooves extending across one face thereof, means for clamping said'blocks on conduits in said grooves includingvrigid me'- tallic members engagedwith the outer sidesof lic bonding strip passing laterally through at least one `oi' said` blocks from a grooved surface thereof to its outer side and thence passingbetween said block and an aforesaid rigid metallic memf ber toa contacting relationto one of said bolts.

5. In a'conduit supporting means, a pair of opposed blocks oielastic cushioning material, said blocks each having an inner and an outer face `and having a series of conduit-receiving channels along vits inner face in an opposed, complementary relation to the series of'th'eother block, a metallic backing member extending along the outer face of each of said blocks, bolts extending through said backing members and blocks to clamp'the latter against a conduit occupying said channels, an `opening extending from one of said conduit-receiving'channels of the aforesaid series through onen of said blocks to an outer side thereof, and a metallic bonding strip having a portion intermediate its end portions which ocoupies said opening, one end portion of said bonding strip being extended along the inner face of one of said backing members and thence continued as a deflected extremity contacting said 'bolt in a ilatwise manner, .and the opposite end of said bonding strip being deflected fora bonding engagement with a conduit occupying one of said channels, the latter end portion of said bonding strip terminating short of the meeting line of the two abutting blocks.

LOUIS P. ISSOGLIO. HERMANRAYIlill.illlilil'WOOD. 

